Cartridge clip applying machine



Sept. 1, 1970 a G. E. WINCH 3,526,028

CARTRIDGE CLIP APPLYING MACHINE Filed Feb. 20, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 65mm: 45''. Alli/Cb w l, Zuh 6 Sept. 1, 1970 G. E. WINCH 3,526,028

CARTRIDGE CLIP APPLYING MACHINE Filed Feb. 20, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 4501965 5. a/nvcx/ a wm 4 rramvars p 1970 G. E. WINCH 3,526,028

CARTRIDGE CLIP APPLYING MACHINE Filed Feb. 20, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet L lllll :11: m 1 .mrm mum I I N VENTOR. GE 0265 a/m/cx/ lrrolm/trs United States Patent O 3,526,028 CARTRIDGE CLIP APPLYING MACHINE George E. Winch, Anoka, Minn., assignor to Federal Cartridge Corporation, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Feb. 20, 1968, Ser. No. 706,848 Int. Cl. B23p 19/00; B65b /00, 35/56 US. Cl. 29-200 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A machine for applying a clip to a row of cartridges in side by side relation wherein the row is moved from the discharge rail of a gage and weigh machine into a holding fixture hinged on horizontal axis. An ejector applies a clip having end tabs endwise over the rim ends of the cartridges and the fixture is then swung upwardly with the tabs moving along converging surfaces to bend the tabs inwardly to secure the cartridges in the clip.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is related to copending application Ser. No. 684,018, filed Nov. 17, 1967, pertaining to a cartridge packaging machine. That machine is designed to receive cartridges from a conventional gage and weigh machine and package them in two rows in a cardboard container or box. The present invention removes the cartridge from the gage and weigh machine in the same manner as said packaging machine. However, rather than insert the cartridges into a box, the present machine is designed to apply a channel-shaped clip to a single row thereof.

The above and other objects of the invention will be brought to light during the course of the following specification, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which- FIG. 1 is a plan view of the machine with the .clip magazine partially broken away.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the machine taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and showing the cartridge position before and after movement onto the clipping plate or fixture.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to FIG. 2 with the fixture swung upwardly.

FIG. 4 is a transverse vertical section through the machine taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a plan view partially in section of the clip applying device with a clip shown partially applied to a row of cartridges.

FIG. 6 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 66 of FIG. 5 showing the clip magazine in elevation with the lowermost clip partially ejected therefrom.

FIG. 7 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 77 of FIG. 2 and with the fixture in lowered cartridge receiving position.

FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 7 but showing the fixture swung upwardly to its raised position.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings reference characters will be used to denote like parts or structural features in the different views. The portion of the machine for receiving the cartridges from the gage and weigh machine and pushing them onto the holding plate or fixture where the clip is applied is substantially identical to that disclosed in the aforementioned copending application. This structure, however, will be briefly described in order that the operation of the present machine might be clearly understood without reference to such application. The discharge platform 10 of the gage and weigh machine supports parallel rails 11 and 12 along which the cartridges roll after inspection.

The clipping machine is designated generally by the 3,526,028 Patented Sept. 1, 1970 ice number 15. It comprises a leg supported platform 16 which carries rail sections 17 and 1 8 in respective alignment with rails 11 and 12. A pusher bar 19 is mounted on rod 20 of pneumatic jack 21 for movement over the top of and perpendicular to the rail sections '17 and 18. A pair of elevator bars 2 2 and 24 disposed on opposite sides of rail section .17 are supported on a carriage 25 which carries a roller 26 below the platform 16. An actuator arm 27 is connected to the piston rod 20 as by bracket 28 with the upright portion 29 of arm 27 riding in slot 30 in the platform 16. The forward portion of arm 27 has a beveled cam surface 31 on its upper edge which engages roller 26 to raise the carriage 25 and bars 22 and 24 as rod 20 and arm 27 are extended by jac-k 21.

The elevator bars 22 and 24 are provided on their top surfaces with side by side seats or grooves 33 with each groove being in longitudinal alignment with a corresponding groove in the other bar. Each bar is provided with the same number of grooves as the number of cartridges to be inserted in a single clip.

It will be understood that as cartridges C are discharged from the gage and weigh machine they will roll along rails 11 and 12 and onto the rail sections 17 and 18. A stop 34 is mounted on platform 16 to hold the cartridge row against rolling off of the sections. The cartridges will then be disposed in the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

i The cylinder 21 is then actuated by suitable hand or foot operated control means to extend rod 20. This moves arm 27 forwardly and the cam surface 31 thereon will raise the roller 26, elevating the entire carriage 25. As the elevator bars 22 and 24 move upwardly they will seat the cartridges and lift them from the rail sections 17 and 18 to a position in horizontal alignment with the forwardly moving pusher bar 19. As thus far described the machine is substantially identical to the corresponding mechanism in the cartridge packaging machine described in the aforementioned application.

The clip applying portion of the machine is also supported on platform 16 and is disposed generally forward of the elevator bars, as best seen in FIG. 1. Immediately forward of bar 22 there is mounted a cartridge holder denoted generally at 35. It includes a base 36 which interconnects opposing side plates 37 which are also interconnected along their rear edges by an angle iron bracket 38. A cartridge holding fixture 40 is mounted on the plates 37 as by pins 41 for swinging movement between a horizontal position (FIG. 2) and an upright position (FIG. 3). Fixture 40 has a channel construction forming an interior pocket 42 which opens rearwardly toward the elevator bar 22 when the fixture is in its horizontal position, as in FIG. 2. The pocket 42 is in horizontal alignment with the row of cartridges C after they have been raised on elevator bars 22 and 24.

Side plates 37 have arcuate facing tracks 44 extending upwardly and forwardly about the axis of pins 41. Retention flanges 45 are disposed along and outside of the tracks. The tracks 44 converge in their upward extension and a tab bending chamfer 46 (FIG. 3) is provided just outside the lower end portion of the track.

An upright magazine 50 for holding a plurality of cartridge clips 51 in vertically stacked relation, as shown in FIG. 4, is mounted on the platform 16 beside the cartridge holding fixture 40. The clips 51 are the conventional elongated type clip with a cross sectional channel adapted to engage around the rims of a single row of cartridges and having end tabs 52 to be bent over to retain the cartridges in the clip. The clips as stacked in the magazine 50 open forwardly or in the same direction as the cartridges C point when inserted into the fixture 40. The lowermost clip in the stack is in transverse align- 3 ment with the rims of the row of cartridges disposed in the fixture as it rests in the horizontal position of FIG. 2.

A jack 54 mounted on the platform 16 has its extensible piston rod 55 connected as by bracket 56 to a pusher arm 57 mounted for longitudinal sliding movement in a slide 58 mounted on the platform. The arm 57 has a notch 59 (FIG. 4) in its leading end adapted to engage the tab 52 on the lowermost clip in the magazine. and push in onto the rims of cartridges in holder 40 as can be observed in FIGS. 5 and 6'. FIG. 7 shows the clip pushed completely onto the cartridge row and prior to clinching of the clip and tabs 52.

It will be, of course, understood that jack 54 is activated to eject a clip 51 from magazine 50 only after the fixture 40 has been loaded with a row of cartridges.

Referring now to FIG. 4 the mechanism for tilting the fixture 40 about the axis of pins 41 will be described. One of the pins 41 is carried at the end of a shaft 64 which has one end journaled in a bearing 65 in one of the plates 37 and its other end journaled in a similar bearing mounted in the bracket 66. The shaft 64 carries a pinion gear 67 next to bracket 66. Pinion 67 meshes with the teeth of an upright rack 68 mounted on the upper end of extensible rod 69 of the jack 70 which is suitably supported on the platform 16 by bracket 71. In FIG. 4 the fixture 40 is in its horizontal or loading position.

After a clip 51 has been applied to the cartridges in the fixture by actuation of the cylinder 54 which operates arm 57, jack 70 is extended and the rack 68 moving upwardly causes the gear 67 to rotate slightly over ninety degrees which moves the fixture 40 to the position shown in FIG. 3. During this movement the tabs 52 projecting endwise from clip 51 move along the converging chamfer surfaces 46 and then along the converging tracks 44 with the fixture moving from the position shown in FIG. 7 through the position shown in FIG. 8 and finally to that shown in FIG. 3 Where the clip has cleared the leading ends of the flanges 45. The filled clip may then be upwardly removed from fixture 40 by the operator for deposit in suitable shipping containers. The tabs 52 have been bent inwardly against the end cartridges in the clip, as shown in FIG. 8, prohibiting endwise displacement of the cartridges from the clip.

The cylinders or jacks 21, 54 and 70 are preferably pneumatically operated for reasons of quick operation, low initial cost and the availability of pressurized air. These jacks are cyclically operated so as to perform their respective functions and return to the start position in one continuous movement. There is a slight delay prior to contracting movement of jack 70 to allow the operator sufiicient time to remove the row of clipped cartridges from the fixture 40.

While it is not shown it is preferred that timing means be provided for synchronizing the various operations whereby the operator need actuate only one control and the steps of moving the cartridges into the fixture, applying the clip and swinging the fixture upwardly to bend the clip tabs will automatically follow in order.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having now therefore fully illustrated and described my invention, what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for applying a clip to the rim ends of a row of cartridges, a frame, a holding plate hinged to the frame on a horizontal axis for movement between generally horizontal and upright positions, means for depositing a row of cartridges in side by side position on the plate with the rim ends thereof in alignment parallel to and remote from the hinge axis, means for moving an elongated cartridge clip having an end tab endwise over said cartridge rim ends to retain them in such alignment,

a pair of upwardly converging cam walls on the frame one on either side of the holding plate one intersecting the path of movement of the clip end tab when the plate is moved to its upright position to bend said tab inwardly against an end cartridge in the row to lock the clip thereon, and means for moving the holding plate between said horizontal and upright positions.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 wherein said frame is mounted adjacent to the discharge rail of a gage and weigh machine, and said depositing means including an elevator bar for raising the cartridges from the discharge rail and a pusher bar for moving the cartridges from the elevator bar onto the holding plate.

3. In a machine for applying a clip to a row of cartridges,

(a) a frame,

(b) a fixture hingedly mounted on the frame for movement between loading and unloading positions,

(c) means for loading a row of cartridges into the fixture in side by side alignment with the rims thereof aligned parallel to and spaced from the hinge axis,

(d) a clip magazine mounted on the frame adjacent to the fixture,

(e) an ejector device on the frame for mow'ng a clip out of the magazine and onto the rims of the cartridges in the fixture,

(f) a power actuated means on the frame for swinging the fixture from its loading to its unloading position after a clip has been moved onto the cartridges in the fixture,

(g) and cam means for engaging and bending the ends of the clip inwardly against the rims of the end cartridges in the row.

4. The subject matter of claim 3 wherein said cam means comprises a pair of cam walls mounted on the frame in spaced relation axially of the hinge mounting one on either side of the fixture, said walls converging in their upward extension.

5. In a machine for applying a clip to a row of -cartridges,

(a) a frame,

(b) a plate hinged to the frame for swinging movement about a horizontal axis between substantially horizontal and upright positions,

(0) means for loading a plurality of cartridges onto the plate in horizontal position in a side by side horizontal row with the rim ends thereof facing away from and aligned parallel to the plate hinge axis,

(d) means for sliding an elongated cartridge clip having aligned end tabs endwise over the cartridge rims to secure the cartridges in alignment,

(e) a pair of cam walls spaced apart along said hinge axis and extending upwardly therefrom with the facing surfaces thereof converging in their upward extension.

(f) and means for swinging the plate with the cartridges thereon to its upright position with the clip end tabs moving along said cam walls to be bent inwardly to secure the cartridges against displacement from the clip.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS THOMAS H. EAGER, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

